What tools do I need for basic maintenance?

[Chris_w666]

I am pretty much the most useless bloke in the world when it comes to doing anything mechanical, though I did do a part service on a Mini and a Fiesta in 1997 so I have previous.

Since then headlight bulbs, checking oil and popping on the odd spare tyre have been my limit but now I have one car that needs work and two that we are trying to run for peanuts I have booked myself a place on a night class starting in January and want to start collecting the bits that would come in handy and the bits that are oft forgotten when people start buying tools.

I currently have the following and hope PH can add more too it

Cheap Screwdriver set.
3 drawer tool box with some spanners, and some sockets.
A head torch.
Some shelves.

[spikeyhead]

A hammer
Duct tape

pliers and cutters
axle stands
jack
oil filter strap

then just obtain anything else you need when you need it.

[vit4]

Understanding mechanically minded friend to help out when you ruin your motor

[lance1a]

Decent set of 3/8 drive sockets and ratchet starting from 8mm up to 21mm. Open/ring spanner set in same sizes plus a 32mm. Small ratchet 1/4 drive set from 6mm up to 13mm. Get a 18mm one too as most sets don't include one.
Oil filter spanner/strap
Good screwdriver set
Good Torx socket set, male and female
Decent mole grips
decent adjustable spanner
multimeter
test light
good strong large flat screwdriver
Brake pipe union ratchet-spanner 11mm
Eazi-bleed brake bleed kit
Good set of pliers including needle nose
set of dentist pliers
magnetic stick
head torch (not a cheap one...they are crap)
flexi extension 3/8 drive
copy of Autodata 2004 cd

Edited by lance1a on Sunday 31st October 21:39

Edited by lance1a on Sunday 31st October 21:39

[Chris_w666]

spikeyhead said:

A hammer
Duct tape

I like this suggestion.

Thanks for the more detailed stuff too though.

[davepoth]

Mole Grips. Definitely Mole Grips.

[xPOW]

aspirin
paracetamol

[broken biscuit]

7mm Allen Key socket for brake caliper bolts, oil drain can, box of latex gloves, brake hose clamps, copper grease, all the bits I can never find when i want to service my car.

[oOTomOo]

WD-40

[vrooom]

Dont go cheap on tools, other wise you will punch a hole or made a good dent when your tools breaks.

You need:-

Spanners of all sizes
Ratchnet (buy good one)
socket set
Breaker bar
Screwdriver of all sizes and shapes
torx bits
Torque wrench

[Cactussed]

My 2c

Essentials
1. Decent torch or lead light
2. Decent neoprene / latex gloves
3. Portable radio
4. Proper hand cleaner (with some abrasives preferably)
5. Decent Jack
6. Decent axle stands (Never, EVER get under a car without these. Ever.)
7. Good quality sockets and spanners – on this point, I’d try and go for some Halfords professional sets when they are on half price sale (which is regularly). Lifetime guarantee. On sale now, in fact…
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
Snap-on are also good quality, if more expensive. Don’t buy cheap rubbish as it WILL break and either injure you or break something on the car or both.
8. A large, good quality adjustable spanner
9. WD40, Copper grease
10. 1 or 2 large, clear plastic drainage containers (the storage boxes for under the bed are good for this). Clear plastic is best as you can see what is coming out.
11. Cheap plastic funnel(s)
12. Good quality multi-grips
13. Patience
14. Sense of humour
15. Understanding wife / girlfriend (see 13 and 14 above)

Nice to Have
1. Pry Bar
2. Breaker Bar
3. Club Hammer
4. Some proper overalls with loads of pockets
5. Ratchet spanners
6. Wobble bars
7. Good quality (ie, with some torque) cordless impact gun
8. Cable ties (very handy) and a whole bunch of replacement nuts and bolts (metric or imperial, depending on the car). I always find lots of things are old and rusted or seized so are better off being replaced as you go.

ETA: I've found a laptop to be incredibly handy for looking up things as and whn you get stuck.

Edited by Cactussed on Monday 1st November 09:55

[Chris_w666]

Thanks some useful suggestions there. I figured that I can't go out and buy everything in one go but if I get the more key bits, such as sockets, axle stands and jack and the beer for the fridge first then I could buy one or two bits from the list every few weeks and it will also be handy to have a list to refer to if I see stuff reduced rather than just ignoring a bargain or buying something I will never use in the false hope of saving £5.

[AndrewW-G]

Small hammer
Medium sized hammer
Large hammer
Sledge hammer
Rubber hammer







Serious answer is, if you want to start tinkering, Halfords do a starter set for about £60-70, which contains all you'll need to start with, if you'ev got one of the bods on here with a trade card near you, it may be worth buying them a beer and borrowing their card

[bullitinhead]

thats the spirt, just buy when you need it, It would be very expensive to buy every thing you thought you would need ,and then never use it, I have a rollercab full of toys/tools that I have aquired over the last 20 years of fixing/ restoring motors cars and bikes .I would hate to have to go and buy/replace them now in one go it would be in the thousands well three or four, buy when needed and buy good quality halfords pro range and clarks pro range offer a life time garentee.


bullit

[jet_noise]

Dear All,

AndrewW-G said:

Small hammer
Medium sized hammer
Large hammer
Sledge hammer
Rubber hammer

..now where's that Stop Hammerzeit meme,

Anayway to reinforce an earlier post don't even think of buying cheap (esp. screwdrivers), the first time you use them they'll break and bugger (you or) the thing you're working on.
Do a search, there have been several threads for compromise cost/quality socket sets. I've still got the Hilka I bought 30 years ago.

One other thing I've used a lot of is a little adjustable spanner,

regards,
Jet

[eltax91]

Nobody mentione a Torque Wrench yet? Wouldn't be without mine, I KNOW the wheel nuts are done properly. Invaluable when working on a family member or mates car (innevitable when you get good).

[TommyBuoy]

Plasters, anti bacterial soaps and as stated above - a sense of humour leaning towards the ironic - as in finding a missing Sump plug when you have trawled around for a week looking for a replacement

[eltax91]

TommyBuoy said:

Plasters, anti bacterial soaps and as stated above - a sense of humour leaning towards the ironic - as in finding a missing Sump plug when you have trawled around for a week looking for a replacement

[Sam_68]

Cactussed said:

My 2c

Essentials
1. Decent torch or lead light
2. Decent neoprene / latex gloves
3. Portable radio
4. Proper hand cleaner (with some abrasives preferably)
5. Decent Jack
6. Decent axle stands (Never, EVER get under a car without these. Ever.)
7. Good quality sockets and spanners – on this point, I’d try and go for some Halfords professional sets when they are on half price sale (which is regularly). Lifetime guarantee. On sale now, in fact…
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
Snap-on are also good quality, if more expensive. Don’t buy cheap rubbish as it WILL break and either injure you or break something on the car or both.
8. A large, good quality adjustable spanner
9. WD40, Copper grease
10. 1 or 2 large, clear plastic drainage containers (the storage boxes for under the bed are good for this). Clear plastic is best as you can see what is coming out.
11. Cheap plastic funnel(s)
12. Good quality multi-grips
13. Patience
14. Sense of humour
15. Understanding wife / girlfriend (see 13 and 14 above)

I've rebuilt cars down to nut and bolt level, with less than 50% of your 'essentials'!

[Efbe]

everyone is different.

IMO all you need is to look at what you are going to be doing, and buy the tools as and when you need them. also old second hand tools from ebay are great. If you can find an old sheffield steel spanner set, they will last you longer than the average rubbish you get these days

If you go out and buy a load of kit, guaranteed 90% of it will never ever get used.